1100 ET - U.S. home prices crept up 0.3% month over month in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, Redfin says. This follows a 0.2% gain in December. Prices rose 2.1% from a year earlier, down from December's 2.4% increase. Price growth is muted because it's the strongest buyer's market in recent history. Many Americans are holding off on purchasing homes because mortgage rates are still more than double the all-time low hit during the pandemic. As a result, there are a record 47% more sellers than buyers, meaning that the buyers who are in the market have negotiating power when it comes to price. Prices are still rising slightly, but this growth pales in comparison to recent years. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate currently sits at 6.09%, down from nearly 7% a year ago.(chris.wack@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 17, 2026 11:00 ET (16:00 GMT)

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